News in brief from the Islands

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Stornoway air service to stop

Flybe and Eastern Airways are stopping their flights between Stornoway and Glasgow from March 4, due to lower than expected demand.

Operated by Eastern Airways, the services were run in competition to Loganair flights.

The flights were only introduced in September 2017 and Na h-Eileanan an Iar MSP Alasdair Allan has expressed his disappointment at the airlines’ decision to end the flights.

MP welcomes change to weather map

The BBC weather bulletins will be flat once again – and this has delighted Angus Brendan MacNeil, MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, who made the broadcaster improve its more severe tilt when it changed 12 years ago.

Mr MacNeil said: I am delighted that the BBC has done the right thing and improved the weather map. It only took it 12 and a half years. Now people can see Scotland really is a big place.’

Mull crabbing zone correction and update

In an article published in The Oban Times on February 2, headlined ‘Support For Mull Crabbing Zone’, we said last month’s meeting of Mull Community Council backed plans to create a crabbing zone to the west of Mull, following a presentation by Nick Turnbull of Mull Aquaculture and Fisheries Association (MAFA).

Nick Turnbull is, in fact, chairman of Mull Fishermen’s Association (MFA), not Mull Aquaculture and Fisheries Association, which no longer exists. We apologise for the error.

Mr Turnbull added that the project also had ‘the support of the local Mull scallop dredgers’, and ‘should benefit all sectors’. It is being progressed by the West Coast Inshore Fishery Group, of which the MFA is a sub-group.

The financial figures quoted came from Marine Scotland, he explained: ‘There are a number of similar projects from different areas and are all out for consultation at present before Marine Scotland decide which if any are to be progressed.

‘My meeting with Mull Community Council was to ensure they responded to the consultation and gave local support to the project.’